Hole YD09-120 Intersects Mafic Volcanic Mineralization Grading 7.6 g/t Over 13.5m VANCOUVER, Oct. 13 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Northgate Minerals Corporation (TSX: NGX, NYSE Amex: NXG) is pleased to report drill results for 29 shallow diamond drill holes totalling 2,424 metres (m) at its 100%-owned Young-Davidson project near the town of Matachewan in northern Ontario. Drilling took place on Northgate's Young-Davidson property immediately east of the current ore reserve in and around historic mine workings, which was operated by Matachewan Consolidated during the mid 1900s (1934-1954). Drill Highlights - Hole YD09-120, beyond the eastern limit of historic mining, intersected 7.6 grams per tonne (g/t) gold over 13.5m - Hole YD09-114, south of historic mining, intersected 13.8 g/t gold over 2.0m and 7.1 g/t gold over 3.8m - Holes YD09-132, within historic near surface workings, intersected 1.9 g/t gold over 36.1m including 7.0 g/t over 5.0m Ken Stowe, President and Chief Executive Officer, remarked, "This is our first exploration program targeting the higher grade mafic volcanic hosted gold mineralization east of the currently known syenite hosted gold reserves on the Young-Davidson property. While the open pit potential tonnage is modest, holes such as YD09-120 and YD09-114 indicate that there is still higher grade mafic volcanic gold mineralization to be discovered on the property." ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Diamond Drill Program The purpose of the 2009 exploration diamond drill program to the east of the Young-Davidson deposit was to assess the potential for high grade mafic volcanic hosted gold mineralization within 50m of surface, which would have the potential to add open pit reserves in and around existing mine workings. Select surface holes are listed in Table 1 below and the complete list of holes are listed in Table 2. All surface holes are plotted on Figure 1, a geology map of a portion of the Young-Davidson property. Table 1 - Select Young-Davidson Surface Holes ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Core Gold Grade Gold Grade Hole ID From (m) To (m) Length (m) Uncut (g/t) Cut to 20 g/t ------------------------------------------------------------------------- YD09-108 2.6 12 9.4 1.48 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- incl 2.6 3.7 1.1 8.95 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------- YD09-110 5.4 16.2 10.8 0.76 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------- YD09-111 39.8 52.3 12.5 2.07 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- incl 39.8 45 5.2 3.31 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------- YD09-112 17.3 27.7 10.4 1.03 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------- YD09-114 38.2 40.2 2.0 15.51 13.76 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- 55.2 59 3.8 7.11 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------- YD09-116 61.5 66 4.5 0.79 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------- YD09-120 25.7 39.2 13.5 10.11 7.63 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- incl 33.6 37.8 4.2 26.99 19.04 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------- YD09-132 12.3 48.4 36.1 1.94 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- incl 5.0 7.00 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------- YD09-134 5.8 7.57 6.86 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------- (True thicknesses estimated to be 70-90% of core length) Overview of Young-Davidson Exploration Area Gold mineralization on the Young-Davidson property is present primarily in an intrusive syenite host rock dipping at approximately 70 degrees to the south. Figure 1, shown below, presents a portion of the property geology and the location of the holes reported herein to the east of the currently known reserves between 22,700E and 23,800E. Figure 1 - Young-Davidson Geology and Hole Locations To view Figure 1, please click: http://www.northgateminerals.com/Theme/Northgate/files/Releases/YD_Plan_Oct09.gif Figure 2 - Mafic Volcanic Hosted Gold Surface to 50 Metre Depth To view Figure 2, please click: http://www.northgateminerals.com/Theme/Northgate/files/Releases/YD_Drill_Oct09.gif Table 2 - Drill Collar Co-Ordinates ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Northing Easting Elevation Collar Collar Depth Hole ID (m) (m) (m) Azimuth Dip (m) ------------------------------------------------------------------------- YD09-107 23779 10530 10347 0 -45 51 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- YD09108 23749 10545 10347 0 -45 66 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- YD09-109 23814 10529 10350 0 -45 51 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- YD09-110 23810 10455 10346 0 -45 51 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- YD09-111 23840 10427 10346 0 -45 60 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- YD09-112 23860 10452 10345 0 -45 57 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- YD09-113 24400 10588 10348 325 -45 37 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- YD09-114 24424 10566 10349 325 -63 59 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- YD09-115 24434 10570 10349 0 -45 51 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- YD09-116 24462 10592 10350 0 -45 66 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- YD09-117 24490 10588 10349 0 -45 51 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- YD09-118 24501 10612 10350 325 -45 58 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- YD09-119 24485 10630 10352 325 -45 203.5 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- YD09-120 24472 10661 10354 325 -45 66 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- YD09-121 24455 10678 10354 325 -45 155 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- YD09-122 24510 10595 10350 325 -45 150 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- YD09-123 24400 10571 10348 0 -45 40 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- YD09-124 24358 10668 10355 145 -45 141 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- YD09-125 24307 10734 10346 145 -45 99 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- YD09-126 24323 10710 10347 145 -45 150 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- YD09-127 24233 10681 10343 145 -45 39 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- YD09-128 24210 10682 10348 180 -45 114 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- YD09-129 24190 10682 10348 180 -45 64.6 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- YD09-130 24289 10672 10344 214 -45 28.8 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- YD09-131 24289 10672 10344 0 -45 40 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- YD09-132 24307 10682 10344 0 -45 51 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- YD09-133 24293 10594 10347 325 -63 55.5 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- YD09-134 24277 10618 10347 325 -45 39 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- YD09135A 24277 10618 10347 145 -78 99 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- YD09-136 24324 10531 10347 325 -77 111 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- YD09-137 24249 10553 10346 325 -45 120 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- (Holes with no assays reported have no significant mineralized intervals) Quality Control - Analyses and Sample Location Details of quality assurance/quality control procedures for sample analysis and drill hole survey methodology are reported in detail in the Canadian National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101") compliant Technical Report filed on SEDAR (http://www.sedar.com/) on August 21, 2009. Qualified Persons The program design, implementation, quality assurance/quality control and interpretation of the results are under the control of Northgate's geological staff, which includes a number of individuals who are qualified persons as defined under NI 43-101. Carl Edmunds, PGeo, Northgate's Exploration Manager, is responsible for the overall supervision of the program. Note to Investors: The terms "Qualified Person", "Mineral Reserve", "Proven Mineral Reserve", "Probable Mineral Reserve", "Mineral Resource", "Measured Mineral Resource", "Indicated Mineral Resource", and "Inferred Mineral Resource" used in this news release are defined in accordance with NI 43-101. Northgate is a gold and copper producer with mining operations, development projects and exploration properties in Canada and Australia. Northgate is forecasting record gold production of approximately 380,000 ounces in 2009 and is targeting growth through further acquisition opportunities in stable mining jurisdictions around the world. Northgate is listed on the TSX under the symbol NGX and on the NYSE Amex under the symbol NXG. Forward-Looking Statements: This Northgate press release contains "forward-looking information", as such term is defined in applicable Canadian securities legislation and "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, concerning Northgate's future financial or operating performance and other statements that express management's expectations or estimates of future developments, circumstances or results. Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "expects", "believes", "anticipates", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "plans" and variations of such words and phrases, or by statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "will", "could", "would" or "might" "be taken", "occur" or "be achieved". Forward-looking information is based on a number of assumptions and estimates that, while considered reasonable by management based on the business and markets in which Northgate operates, are inherently subject to significant operational, economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies. Northgate cautions that forward-looking information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause Northgate's actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such information, including, but not limited to gold and copper price volatility; fluctuations in foreign exchange rates and interest rates; the impact of any hedging activities; discrepancies between actual and estimated production, between actual and estimated reserves and resources or between actual and estimated metallurgical recoveries; costs of production; capital expenditure requirements; the costs and timing of construction and development of new deposits; and the success of exploration and permitting activities. In addition, the factors described or referred to in the section entitled "Risk Factors" in Northgate's Annual Information Form for the year ended December 31, 2008 or under the heading "Risks and Uncertainties" in Northgate's 2008 Annual Report, both of which are available on the SEDAR website at http://www.sedar.com/, should be reviewed in conjunction with the information found in this press release. Although Northgate has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there can be other factors that cause results, performance or achievements not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate or that management's expectations or estimates of future developments, circumstances or results will materialize. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. The forward-looking information in this press release is made as of the date of this press release, and Northgate disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise such information, except as required by applicable law. DATASOURCE: Northgate Minerals Corporation CONTACT: Ms. Keren R. Yun, Director, Investor Relations, Tel: (416) 216-2781, Email: , Website: http://www.northgateminerals.com/

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